Obituary: James Cosgrave Dey

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James Cosgrave Dey passed away peacefully at home, surrounded with love, on Friday, Dec. 8, 2017 at the age of 73. Jim was a mentor to many and is remembered as a person with character, creativity, adventure, compassion and devotion to family.

Jim was born in Pasadena, Calif. on Nov. 29, 1944, to Grace and Harry Dey, and was raised in New York. He developed his love of the outdoors during the summers as he attended the Boy Scouts’ Camp Siwanoy, first as a scout and then as a staff member. There, he also met the love of his life, Lois Louise Weiglein, whom he married on May 20, 1973.

Jim shared his sense of adventure with his wife and later with his sons. He raced sports cars with the Sports Car Club of America (C Production 240z and Formula V), and drove at national tracks, such as Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, Bridgehampton, Loudon, Pocono, and Summit Point. Jim’s wife and friends worked as his pit-crew as his sons played racecar. In 1975, he was the North Atlantic Road Racing Champion for C Production and set a lap record for his class at Watkins Glen.

He also had a life-long interest in rock climbing, starting in the Shawangunk Mountains in New Paltz, N.Y. He was an experienced mountain climber and was trained in mountain rescue as well as a licensed New York State Tier I Rock Guide. He shared his knowledge and love of climbing as an instructor in the advanced climbing director program at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, and various climbing programs through the Boy Scouts of America. Jim climbed with friends, and later his sons, as he completed numerous climbs in Yosemite, Calif., such as El Capitan and Half Dome. In addition to climbing Mont Blanc in France, The Matterhorn in Switzerland and, in 2010, Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya.

Jim’s sense of adventure and devotion to duty culminated in his service as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 1964-1967. He was stationed in Danang, Vietnam and also taught at the USMC Combat Engineering School at Camp LeJeune, N.C. He then continued to focus on teaching and graduated from Oswego University in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in industrial arts in technology, and later earned a Master of Science in audio visual communication from Western Connecticut State University in 1981.

In 1974, Jim began teaching at Wilton High School as a power mechanics instructor, encouraging the curiosity and problem solving of his students both during his classes and outside of school. In 1980, Jim created and advised the Wilton High School Mountaineering Club, combining his talents to teach many others how to seek adventure in a safe and supportive environment.

He was the Teacher of the Year for Wilton High School in 1985, and in 1989, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Connecticut State Council on Vocational Technical Education. In 1993, Jim was asked to help guide the entire Wilton Public Schools district as he became the district technology coordinator. He continued to share his passion, sense of adventure, and kindness as he enriched the lives of students and staff over his 34-year career, eventually retiring in 2008. After his retirement, Jim then focused on teaching his children, grandchildren and scouts, all of the strengths that he developed during his life.

Left to cherish Jim’s memory is his wife, Lois Dey; four sons and their spouses, Mark Dey and AmyMarie Accardi-Dey, Sean and Jessie Dey, Erik and Megan Dey, and Peter and Lynn Dey; four grandchildren, Ryan, Karen, Amelia, and Charles; step-grandson Kaidiyn; brother and sister-in-law, George and Sherry Dey; and many nieces and nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Grace Dey Schell and Harry Everett Dey, and granddaughter, Loreli Grace Dey.

A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 5 Main St. South, Bridgewater, Conn., on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Access Fund or The New Milford Visiting Nurse Association and Hospice.

1 COMMENT

  1. My last semester at WHS was Jim’s first semester there. I was only his student for that one semester at school, but wound up being a student of his for decades. While in high school I really wanted to get involved with racing. I had gone to a few professional races to spectate but couldn’t figure out how to ‘get to the other side of the fence’. Jim opened that door for me. as naïve, beyond belief naïve, but Jim and Lois showed me everything, helped with the technical things, helped with all of the many, many problems of all kinds that came up and in reality took me not only under their wing but into their lives and family. Jim’s patient and supportive and constructive approach to dealing with problems (of all kinds) was a revelation to me, I didn’t grow up with that. He was always thoughtful and took the time to answer and explain things when asked, and was always willing to jump in and help when asked-he never said no. He gave me a great example of how to treat others-with kindness and respect and patience, and with a willingness to share his knowledge and experience freely. I use these skills everyday . There probably aren’t too many things that you learn in high school that you regularly use and think about still so many years later. He was not only the most wonderful and influential teacher that I ever had in or out of school, but the most wonderful and influential friend you could ever ask for. Thank you Jim.